Improving GNSS-R Sea Surface Altimetry Precision Based on the Novel Dual Circularly Polarized Phased Array Antenna Model

Improving the SSH Retrieval Precision of Spaceborne GNSS-R Based on a New Grid Search Multihidden Layer Neural Network Feature Optimization Method

The altimetry precision of conventional spaceborne Global Navigation Satellite Systems Reflectometry (GNSS-R) is limited, and the error models are complicated. To compensate for the shortcomings of conventional methods, we present a new grid search multihidden layer neural network feature optimization method (GSMHLFO) for sea surface height (SSH) retrieval. Firstly, the GSMHLFO is constructed by combining the multihidden layer neural network, feature engineering, and a grid search algorithm. Moreover, the retrieval performance of the GSMHLFO and its sensitivity to various features are analyzed. By analyzing 14 feature sets with different information details, we concluded that the elevation, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), atmospheric delay, and ocean wind speed can provide essential contributions to the SSH retrieval based on GSMHLFO. Secondly, the Technical University of Denmark 18 mean sea surface (DTU18 MSS), which is corrected by the TPXO8 global tide model, was used to verify the GSMHLFO. The number of hidden layers and neurons was optimized using the grid search algorithm. The experimental results show that the proposed GSMHLFO with four hidden layers and 200 neurons per layer has a better retrieval performance. Compared with DTU18, the mean absolute difference (MAD), the root mean square error (RMSE), and the Pearson correlation coefficient (PCC) equal 4.23 m, 5.94 m, and 0.98, respectively. The retrieval precision obtained is significantly improved compared to that reported in the literature for the TDS-1 SSH retrieval. Finally, the retrieval performance of the GSMHLFO and the traditional HALF single-point retracking method were compared. The precision of GSMHLFO is higher than that of traditional retracking method according to MAD, RMSE, and PCC, which are increased by 32.86, 25.00, and 8.99%. The GSMHLFO will provide innovative theoretical and methodological support for the high-precision SSH retrieval of GNSS-R altimetry satellites in the future.

Spaceborne GNSS Reflectometry

This article presents a review on spaceborne Global Navigation Satellite System Reflectometry (GNSS-R), which is an important part of GNSS-R technology and has attracted great attention from academia, industry and government agencies in recent years. Compared with ground-based and airborne GNSS-R approaches, spaceborne GNSS-R has a number of advantages, including wide coverage and the ability to sense medium- and large-scale phenomena such as ocean eddies, hurricanes and tsunamis. Since 2014, about seven satellite missions have been successfully conducted and a large number of spaceborne data were recorded. Accordingly, the data have been widely used to carry out a variety of studies for a range of useful applications, and significant research outcomes have been generated. This article provides an overview of these studies with a focus on the basic methods and techniques in the retrieval of a number of geophysical parameters and the detection of several objects. The challenges and future prospects of spaceborne GNSS-R are also addressed.